Begonia plant named ‘Selfoss’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Begonia  plant named ‘Selfoss’, characterized by its semi-pendulous and mounded plant habit; freely basal branching habit; relatively small leaves; freely and continuously flowering habit; and single and semi-double flowers that are white in color.

Botanical designation: Begonia pendula.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SELFOSS’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begoniaplant, botanically known as Begonia pendula, and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘Selfoss’.

The new Begonia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Amstelveen, The Netherlands. The objectiveof the breeding program was to develop new hanging Begonia plants withgood outdoor performance.

The new Begonia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in March, 2005 of a proprietary selection of Begonia pendulaidentified as code number 04-246-05, not patented, as the female, orseed, parent with a proprietary selection of Begonia pendula identifiedas code number 05-H-01, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent.The new Begonia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as asingle flowering plant from within the progeny of the statedcross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Amstelveen,The Netherlands in April, 2006.

Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia plant by tip cuttings in acontrolled greenhouse environment in Amstelveen, The Netherlands sinceMay, 2007, has shown that the unique features of this new Begonia plantare stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Begonia have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensity,without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Selfoss’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Selfoss’ as a new and distinct cultivar ofBegonia:

-   -   1. Semi-pendulous and mounded plant habit.    -   2. Freely basal branching habit.    -   3. Relatively small leaves.    -   4. Freely and continuously flowering habit.    -   5. Single and semi-double flowers that are white in color.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. Plants of the new Begonia differ from plants of the femaleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia are more freely branching than        plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Begonia have single and semi-double flowers        whereas plants of the female parent selection have double        flowers.    -   3. Plants of the new Begonia have white-colored flowers whereas        plants of the female parent selection have yellow-colored        flowers.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. Plants of the new Begonia differ from plants of the maleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia have smaller leaves than plants of        the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Begonia have single and semi-double flowers        whereas plants of the male parent selection have double flowers.    -   3. Plants of the new Begonia have greater postproduction        longevity than plants of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of the Begonia‘Victoria Falls’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,653. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Amstelveen, The Netherlands,plants of the new Begonia differed from plants of ‘Victoria Falls’ inthe following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia were more compact than plants of        ‘Victoria Falls’.    -   2. Plants of the new Begonia had smaller and darker        green-colored leaves than plants of ‘Victoria Falls’.    -   3. Plants of the new Begonia had single and semi-double flowers        whereas plants of ‘Victoria Falls’ had double flowers.    -   4. Tepals of plants of the new Begonia were white in color        whereas tepals of plants of ‘Victoria Falls’ were bright orange        in color.

Plants of the new Begonia can also be compared to plants of the Begonia‘Encanto Orange’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,898. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Amstelveen, The Netherlands,plants of the new Begonia differed from plants of ‘Encanto Orange’ inthe following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia were more rounded leaves than        plants of ‘Encanto Orange’.    -   2. Plants of the new Begonia had flatter flowers than plants of        ‘Encanto Orange’.    -   3. Tepals of plants of the new Begonia were white in color        whereas tepals of plants of ‘Encanto Orange’ were bright orange        in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Begonia plant, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Begonia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘Selfoss’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close up view of the upper andlower surfaces of typical leaves of ‘Selfoss’ (left) and the uppersurfaces of female and male flowers and the lower surface of a femaleflower of ‘Selfoss’ (right).

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTIONS

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and followingobservations and measurements were grown in Maasdijk, The Netherlands in19-cm containers and under commercial practice in a glass-coveredgreenhouse during the spring and early summer. During the production ofthe plants, day temperatures ranged from 15° C. to 22° C. and nighttemperatures ranged from 15° C. to 20° C. Plants were 14 weeks old whenthe photographs and the description were taken. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Begonia pendula ‘Selfoss’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Begonia            pendula identified as code number 04-246-05, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Begonia            pendula identified as code number 05-H-01, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By tip cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About one week at            temperatures of about 20° C. to 25° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About one week at            temperatures of about 18° C. to 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 32 days            at temperatures of about 20° C. to 25° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 35 days            at temperatures of about 18° C. to 20° C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; white in            color; plants of the new Begonia have not been observed to            form tubers.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderate branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Semi-pendulous and mounded            plant habit; broad inverted triangle; freely basal branching            with about six primary branches per plant; primary branches            with secondary branches at potentially every node;            moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 20.9 cm.        -   Plant width.—About 27.3 cm.        -   Branch description.—Length: About 10.7 cm. Diameter: About            7 mm. Internode length: About 1.7 cm. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Close to N199A tinged with close to 152A.        -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:            About 10.6 cm. Width: About 5.4 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:            Acuminate. Base: Reniform, slightly overlapping. Margin:            Serrate. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; leathery.            Texture, lower surface: Sparsely pubescent. Venation            pattern: Palmate; reticulate. Color: Developing leaves,            upper surface: Between 183A and 200B; venation, close to            144C. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 183B;            venation, close to 144C. Fully expanded leaves, upper            surface: Between 147A and 203A; venation, close to 143A.            Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 183A to 183B;            venation, close to 143A to 143B. Petioles: Length: About            6.7 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces:            Close to 185A to 185B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flowering habit.—Single female and semi-double male rotate            flowers arranged in axillary cymes; freely flowering habit            with about three to seven open flowers per cyme; about twice            as many female flowers as male flowers per plant; flowers            and face mostly outwardly or slightly nodding.        -   Fragrance.—Not detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower freely and            continuously during the late spring until the autumn in The            Netherlands.        -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about ten days on the plant;            flowers not persistent.        -   Inflorescence height.—About 15.4 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 9.9 cm.        -   Flowers.—Female flowers, diameter: About 4.5 cm. Female            flowers, depth (height): About 2.7 cm. Male flowers,            diameter: About 5.3 cm. Male flowers, depth (height): About            2.5 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Shape: Flattened orbicular. Length: About            1.5 cm. Diameter: About 1.6 cm. Color: Close to 145D;            towards the base, close to 145A to 145B.        -   Tepals.—Arrangement: Rosette. Quantity per flower: Female            flowers, usually about five per flower; male flowers,            usually about 13 per flower. Length, female flowers: About            2.6 cm. Width, female flowers: About 2.2 cm. Length, male            flowers: About 3 cm. Width, male flowers: About 2.2 cm.            Shape, female and male flowers: Obovate to orbicular. Apex,            female and male flowers: Retuse. Margin, female and male            flowers: Entire. Texture, female and male flowers, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, female and male            flowers: When opening, upper surface: Close to 157D; towards            the base, close to 150D. When opening, lower surface: Close            to 150D; towards the base, close to 150C. Fully opened,            upper and lower surfaces: Close to NN155D and tinged with            close to 48D; towards the base, close to 8D.        -   Tepaloids.—Arrangement: Rosette. Quantity per flower:            Present only on male flowers, usually about ten per flower.            Length: About 1.5 cm. Width: About 8 mm. Shape: Irregularly            obovate. Apex: Irregularly incised. Margin: Entire. Texture,            upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color: When            opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 9B to 9C;            towards the base, close to 8D to lighter than 8D. Fully            opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 9C to 9D; towards            the base, close to 8D to lighter than 8D.        -   Peduncles.—Angle: About 25° from vertical. Strength:            Moderately weak. Length: About 9.6 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 185A to 185B.        -   Pedicels.—Angle: About 45° from the peduncle. Strength:            Moderately weak. Length: About 2.6 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 146C tinged with            close to 185A to 185B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Female flowers: Number of pistils:            About six per flower. Pistil length: About 7 mm. Style            length: About 2 mm. Style color: Close to 17C to 17D. Stigma            color: Close to 17B to 17C. Ovary color: Close to 144B. Male            flowers: Number of stamens: About 25 per flower. Filament            length: About 3 mm. Filament color: Close to 13C to 13D.            Anther length: About 3.5 mm. Anther shape: Flattened            triangular. Anther color: Close to 13B. Pollen amount: None            observed.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been            observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to    Begonia has not been observed.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Begonia have been observed    to tolerate temperatures from about 5° C. to about 35° C.

1. A new and distinct Begonia plant named ‘Selfoss’ as illustrated anddescribed.